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Power is Temporary, I’ve No Regrets - Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Thursday told the outgoing members
of the 8th National Assembly to always do their best to serve the
interest of the people, asking them to know that power is transient.

The
Senate President, who lost his bid to return to the Senate during this
2019 presidential election, expressed satisfaction with the achievements
of the 8th Senate, adding that he has nothing to regret.

Saraki spoke during the valedictory session of the National Assembly members on Thursday in Abuja.
He
said, “This I know: whatever the capacity, we should always do our best
to serve the interest of the people. We should also have it at the back
of our minds that power is transient.”

Responding to a recent
statement by President Muhammadu Buhari accusing him and outgoing
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, of not being
patriotic in the handling of affairs of the National Assembly in the
last four years Saraki said:
“It is important that I make some
comments about Legislature-Executive relations. My own take is that if
the Executive sees the National Assembly’s work on the budget as
interference despite the provisions of the constitution, then there will
continue to be problems between both arms of government.

“If the
Presidency refuses to have engagements and consultations with the
leadership of the National Assembly before the President submits the
budget to the legislature, then there will continue to be frictions.

“If
the Executive sees the failure of a few of its appointees to secure
confirmation by the Senate as a disagreement, then the relationship will
not improve.

“If the Executive encourages its appointees who
fail to secure Senate confirmation to remain in office, then there will
continue to be disagreement.

“If the Executive believes the
Legislature is a rubber stamp without the right to question its actions,
then it will be a subversion of the Principles of separation of powers
and checks and balances.

“My advice is that both arms of
government have a role to play in our quest for good governance and
their leadership should work for cooperation and fruitful engagement.”

On
his travails as a Senate President and support he enjoyed from his
colleagues he said, “That I am here today, that you are here today, is a
victory for democracy. It is a testament to what people can do when
they come together for the greater good.

“This is also one of
those occasions when the Supreme Creator reminds us once again, that
power does not reside in any one person.

“When I think of the
many trials and tribulations we have faced as an institution, and my own
personal travails particularly at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I am
humbled, because none of our achievements would have been possible
without the support and cooperation of the entire members of this
chamber.”

On
the achievement of the 8th Senate he said, “We can define ourselves by
the record number of bills passed, motions cleared, resolutions adopted,
petitions treated. We can also define ourselves by the belief that we
fought for democracy, held government to account and made personal
sacrifices. For some of us, sacrifices are still being made, owing to
the fallout of some of the decisions taken. I have no regrets because,
as first among equals, we bear collective responsibility for those
decisions. As a leader, however, I take responsibility. The buck stops
with me.

“In doing all that we did in this chamber, we always
used to believe that poverty knew no party, religion, tribe or region.
We came together in response to the needs of Nigerians as a whole, and
we got the job done. It will be said of us that we were truly
representatives of all our constituents. As we conclude the last plenary
and the few more days of the 8th Senate, therefore, we should nurture
the relationships we have built.”

Power is Temporary, I’ve No Regrets - Saraki
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June 07, 2019
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